Feeding leftover dog food to chickens
I run a dog kennel and I just throw away the dog food left behind when a dog goes home. Can I add this to the kitchen scraps I am already feeding the chickens? Will it hurt them in any way? Is there a limit on how much I should give them?
Erica Kardelis
Helper, Utah
There’s no reason you can’t feed this left over dog food to your chickens, in addition to their regular diet, so long as it is fresh (no mold) and clean (no poop). I wouldn’t feed more than 1/4 of their regular diet in leftover dog food. — Jackie
Bugs in mulberries
My parents have two mulberry trees on their property and I’m interested in picking them to make jam/jelly. However when I picked a few of the early ripening ones I discovered very tiny copper colored bugs coming out of the berries, even after I rinsed them in water!
Do you know what these bugs are? What do I do? Can I get them off the berries? I’ve read online that soaking the berries in salt water works, but would love your “professional” opinion!
I’m planning to pick the majority of the berries this upcoming July 4th weekend and freeze them until I can figure out a solution to this problem that’s “bugging” me!
Thomas Becker
Monroe, Wisconsin
Try soaking them in lightly salted cold water for 1/2 an hour. Usually the bugs will float to the top and you can skim them off. If there are too many or this does not work you have the choice to either use the berries, bugs, and all, or wait until next year. Insects usually are only a problem in mulberries every so often so you should have a “clean” year soon. — Jackie
